United States · Pet Food

FDA Pet Food Compliance in the United States

A practical guide to FDA Pet Food Compliance for pet food sold in the United States: who it applies to, what to prepare, and the mistakes that cause rejection.

Who needs it

Pet food and treats sold in the United States; Foreign facilities shipping pet food to the U.S.

Authority

FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)

Legal basis

FD&C Act; 21 CFR Part 507

Local representative

Foreign facilities need a U.S. agent

Timeline

Before marketing; registration and controls are ongoing

Cost

Registration has no fee; process controls and testing costs vary

If you do not comply

Adulterated or misbranded product and enforcement action

Who needs this

Pet food and treats sold in the United States
Foreign facilities shipping pet food to the U.S.

Documents you need

Facility registration
Preventive controls plan
Product labeling

Compliance checklist

Tick each item as you collect it. Saved in this browser only.

Facility registration
Preventive controls plan
Product labeling

How to comply

Register the facility
Implement preventive controls
Label the product correctly

Brief for your lab or agent

Copy this into an email, then edit the product and channel.

Request: FDA Pet Food Compliance — United States
Product category: Pet Food
Authority: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)
Legal basis: FD&C Act; 21 CFR Part 507

Documents we already have:
  1. Facility registration
  2. Preventive controls plan
  3. Product labeling

Questions:
  1. Does our product fall under FDA Pet Food Compliance in the United States?
  2. Which test standards or evidence do you accept?
  3. What is the current fee and lead time?
  4. Is a local representative required, and can you act as one?

Cost and timeline

Before marketing; registration and controls are ongoing.

Registration has no fee; process controls and testing costs vary.

Common rejection reasons

Facility not registered
Inadequate process controls
Misbranded or incomplete labeling

Registration, notification, or certification is not the same as approval. Keep the technical file current and make sure the label, listing, and submitted data match.